Review: Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (3DS)

Incredibly enough, being able to buy into Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy's main plot — Professor Layton and his chirpy sidekick Luke get involved with a million-year old civilization and a survivor of said civilization — isn't as difficult as buying into a universe where everyone from the youngest child to the oldest adult is constantly bombarding each other with logic puzzles.

"I surely would like a cup of tea."

"Straight away, sir. Right after you answer this quandary involving logarithmic scale forms and the price of wool of in Norway."

What makes Professor Layton so special as a character in this universe is that he answers more questions than he poses. That's what makes him so novel to the other characters and why he seems to be known the world over. Or it could just be the hat.

True or False?

Like the other Layton games before this one, the plot is pushed along by answering riddles and goons with machine guns are dissuaded by a clever retort or solving a sliding tile puzzle. Layton can poke around the limited environment for hint coins, new locations, and whatnot at a (mostly) relaxed pace.

By and large the puzzles are fair but when one runs up against a real challenge it can make one feel dumb. Even when spending hint coins to guide the player in the right direction can be fruitless as each hint can become puzzle unto itself.

And if not a puzzle, the hint is so ambiguous as to be irritating. It's as if the game offers a taunt more than a hint.

"It's obvious if you think about it," reads one hint, which is presumably closed with, "Moron!"

This writer spent hours on a few puzzles only to find the answer was over-thought or hidden in plain view. This writer also wouldn't spend any time on a puzzle game that didn't have characters and settings which a game like Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy connects the puzzles. The story snippets are reward enough to power through — i.e. put up with being really stumped — those particular puzzles.

There are a number of extra short puzzles to work through at the leisure of the player that are unconnected to the story, which offers even more bang for the buck in terms of the value proposition but it's more like an unnecessary side plate to a full meal adventure.

Now, using the clues in the text above guess the writer's Visa card number.

- Aaron Simmer
Follow @EmpireArmchair

The Good:
- Great presentation
- Can't help but like Professor Layton
- Lots and lots of puzzles - 500?
- Some interesting story turns

The Bad:
- Hints are often barely a nudge in the right direction

Score: 8.0 / 10